Ardvaney NS and Four Masters NS are Leitrim art winners

Ardvaney NS, Dromahair and Four Masters NS Kinlough have been named Leitrim Winners in prestigious "Someone Like Me" national art competition.

Both schools now join 48 others to compete for the much sought-after national title at the national awards ceremony to be held at Dublin City Hall on Wednesday 18th January 2023.

First class student Olivia Harte from Ardvaney National School, Dromahair was the junior winner. Olivia used pencils and crayons to illustrate the message that we are all different and we can do anything. The image shows people using wheelchairs taking part in activities such as basketball and dancing.

Fifth Class from Four Masters School, Kinlough came together to create the above picture,which won the Senior Leitrim title. These pupils made a collage of different ideas, such as people with disabilities on the moon, girls with disabilities dancing, wheelchair basketball, blind football, a person with no arms winning a cycling race, wheelchair ramping and a person with no legs climbing a mountain. This illustrated all of the amazing things that people with disabilities are capable of.

Fittingly, the announcement was made by Minister of State with special responsibility for disability, Anne Rabbitte as Ireland joins the rest of the world in marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Now in its seventh year, the Someone Like Me art competition, which is organised by the National Disability Authority, attracted more than 2,700 entries from national schools across the length and breadth of the country. The competition was created as part of the National Disability Authority’s work to nurture more positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities and, to date, it has seen more than 12,500 children take part in lesson plans and pupil activities designed to challenge our young people to appreciate and respect similarities and differences in people.

Congratulating Ardvaney National School and Four Masters School on being named County Winners, Minister Rabbitte said that the number of entries this year is a tribute to the commitment not just of the National Disability Authority, but also to Ireland’s primary school teachers, who continue to play an important part helping to create a more inclusive Ireland.

The competition, which offers a range of prizes up to the value of €1,250, was open to all primary school pupils from junior infants to sixth class and more than 2,700 entries were received from individual pupils, class groups and whole schools right across Ireland.  Entries ranged from posters and collages to large sculptural installations and multi-media pieces.